Pliers



June 193%. c. L. GAIRQARD 3 PLIERS Filed May 14, 1955 INVENTQR. CAMILLE L. GA OAWD 1 v ATTORNEY.

Patented June 9, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PLIERS Application May 14, 1935, Serial No. 21,339

3 Claims.

My invention pertains to tools of that class known as pliers and relates more particularly to side cutting pliers.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide side cutting pliers which, while retaining all of the many useful functions of such tool, is, in addition, particularly adaptable for use. as a gripping lever for pulling or prying.

Another object comprises providing a com bined side cutting and lever pliers adapted for the special use of efficiently and eifectively extracting pins, bolts, nails and especially cotter pins and the like, even when such objects are located in confined spaces.

A further object comprises producing a pliers especially adapted for the effective gripping and extraction of pins, nails, bolts, cotter pins and the like by either a prying or pulling action.

A still further object comprises producing 'a pliers that combines the functions of long-nosed pliers for picking up small objects and. obtaining an effective grip on objects in confined spaces, a Wrench, side cutting pliers, gripping, twisting or holding pliers, and, in addition, a gripping lever for pulling or prying for extracting pins, nails, bolts, spikes and the like.

I achieve all of the above noted features and others which will hereinafter be apparent by means of the combination of novel structures described in the following specification with reference to the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof.

In the drawing in which like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the cutting side of my improved pliers.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of another side of the same with the handle broken away.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the reverse side to that shown in Fig. 1 with the handles broken away.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an end view of the nose of the pliers.

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 3.

Fig. '7 illustrates the use of my improved pliers as a prying lever.

Fig. 8 illustrates the use of my improved pliers as a pulling lever.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1-6, inclusive, in which I have shown for purposes of illustration several views of one embodiment of my invention, two levers each comprising jaw portions 3 and 4 and handle portions I and 2, respectively, are preferably made of steel drop forgings formed in the usual offset manner so that the grip portions of the jaw are superim posed on each other and the handles are coplanar when the levers are pivoted between the jaw portions and the handle portions by means of the usual shouldered riveted pivot 5. As the levers are pivoted between the jaw portions and 10 the handle portions, as the handles are brought together, the grip portions of the jaw are caused to converge and vice versa in the usual well known manner.

For purposes of description, it will be consid- 15 ered that each jaw 3 and 4 is provided with a serrated grip portion and three faces, a pair of the faces forming each side of the pliers being adjacent to each other.

In carrying out my invention, I provide on each of one pair of adjacent faces, forming one side of the pliers, a flat portion near the pivot point and contours 6 and 1 which are preferably that of a portion of a spheroid as shown, merging with the flat portions and with the longitudinal or major axis of the spheroidal contours lying in the plane in which the jaws meet when closed. I further provide in the flat portions as shown in the figures at the line of meeting of the jaws when closed cutting edges 2|. Adjacent or opposite these cutting edges there are provided apertures I3 and I4 as shown in Fig. 3 which extend transversely of each of the jaws 4 and 3, respectively, and provide as shown in Fig. 3 substantially rectangular openings in 30 the faces of the jaws. I further provide on the side of the pliers having such rectangular openings, flat portions l0 and H extending toward the nose of the pliers all points of which lie preferably in a plane substantially perpendicular 40 to the axis of the pivot 5. If desired, these adja-' cent faces of the pliers may be inclined at an angle to the axis of the pivot 5 greater or less than The remaining faces 8 and 9 of the pliers are rounded as shown to provide a rather 5 v sharp point at the nose of the pliers. The grip portions of the jaws, one of which is shown in Fig. 4, are each provided with serrations 20, preferably placed so that their sharp edges lie in planes substantially parallel to the spheroidal 50 surfaces 6 and I. As the spheroidal surfaces are rounded both longitudinally and transversely of the jaws the gripping portions of the jaws at this contour may be placed in close contact with a, surface and thus a close grip on an object to 55 be extracted may be obtained. One of the jaws 3 is provided with a channel l2 located substantially perpendicular to the serrations 20. This channel affords guiding means for pins, cotter pins, nails, etc. which are being extracted by the pliers. Further, the sharp edges where the various contours of the jaws meet are bevelled off as shown to facilitate handling.

It will be noted that there is provided in each of the jaws adjacent the spheroidal contours thereof, suflicient cross-section of metal to prevent fracture of the jaws when the pliers are used as prying or pulling levers. A standard 8 size pliers constructed in accordance with my invention has been used in experimental demonstrations to extract a cotter pin of diameter from a clearance hole drilled in a 1" thick steel bar with the free ends of the cotter pin bent at right angles to the bar as shown in Fig. 7. The pliers used as shown and indicated by the arrows in Fig. 7 as a prying lever extracted the cotter pin with ease and with no evidence of fracture of the jaws.

As shown and indicated by the arrows in Fig. 8, my improved pliers may be also used as a pulling lever to extract nails, spikes, pins and similar objects. It will be noted that the spheroidal contours of one pair of faces provide an ideal fulcrum to assist the pliers to be used efficiently and effectively as a prying lever as shown in Fig. 7 or as a pulling lever as shown in Fig. 8. Further, the parallel serrations 20 and the guide channel l2 coact with the spheroidal surfaces to permit a close secure grip to be obtained on the object to be extracted and with the rounding of the nose to a point in conjunction with the spheroidal surfaces and the flat faces l0 and II permit obtaining secure and efiicient grips on objects located in confined places and also facilitate picking up small objects such as pins, washers, etc.

It will be readily observed from the foregoing that my improved pliers possess marked features of utility. They are adapted to all of the uses of side cutting pliers in severing, gripping, twisting, or holding objects; and the openings opposite the cutting edges may be used as an adjustable nut wrench. As added features of such tools they are especially adapted to function as long-nosed pliers, because the unique pointed form or shape of the nose permits the pliers to grasp objects in confined places and to readily pick up small objects such as pins, washers and the like, and the spheroidal form of a pair of adjacent faces of the pliers and the thickness of the jaws at such contour permits the pliers to be used very effectively as a gripping lever for pulling or prying to extract pins, nails, bolts, spikes and the like with ease and without fracture of the jaws. Further, because of the spheroidal contour of the jaws they may be used to form or bend wire or metal strips to angles of less than 90.

While I have, for purposes of illustration, disclosed and described only one embodiment of my invention, it will be obvious that numerous changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

Having thus completely described my invention, what I claim is new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is as follows:

1. A pliers comprising, a pair of pivoted levers each having a jaw portion and a handle portion, said jaw portions being each provided with flat grip surfaces extending to the nose portion thereof and on each of one of their adjacent faces with a surface all points of which lie in a plane substantially perpendicular to the axis of the pivot joining said levers, the opposite adjacent faces being provided with a contour substantially that of a portion of a spheroid, the major axis of which is in the plane in which said jaws meet when closed, the grip surface of each or" said jaws being serrated with the sharp edges of the serrations lying approximately parallel with the adjacent portions of the faces having said substantially spheroidal contour and a channel in at least one of said jaws the axis of which is sub stantially perpendicular to the planes of said serrations.

2. A pliers comprising, a pair of pivoted levers each having a jaw portion and a handle portion, said jaw portions being each provided with grip surfaces extending to the nose portion thereof and on each of one of their adjacent faces with a surface all points of which lie in a plane approximately perpendicular to the axis of the pivot joining said levers, the opposite adjacent faces being provided with a contour substantially that of a portion of a spheroid the longitudinal axis of which is in the plane in which said jaws meet when closed and the grip surfaces of both of said jaws being parallel serrated with the edges of the serrations lying approximately parallel with the adjacent portions of the faces having said substantially spheroid contour and a channel in the grip surface of at least one of said jaws.

3. A pliers comprising, a pair of pivoted levers each having a jaw and a handle, said jaws being provided with grip surfaces having parallel serrations therein and on each of one of their adjacent faces with a contour substantially that of a portion of a spheroid the longitudinal axis of a which is in the plane in which said jaws meet when closed and on their opposite faces with a surface all points of which lie in a plane approximately perpendicular to the axis of the pivot point joining said levers, said jaws being rounded on each of their remaining faces to provide a point at the line on which said jaws meet when closed and one of said jaws being further provided with a channel the axis of which is substantially perpendicular to the planes of the serrations in said aw.

CAMILLE L. GAIROARD. 

